[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 82 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23069-23070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10731]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6332-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water Alliances for 
Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Reporting Requirements Under EPA's 
Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) Program, EPA ICR Number 
1654.02, OMB Control Number 2040-0164, expiring October 31, 1999. 
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 28, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater 
Management, WAVE ICR Docket, Municipal Assistance Branch (Mail Code 
4204), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Interested persons may 
obtain a copy of the ICR amendment and supporting analysis without 
charge by contacting the individual listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Martin, Telephone: (202) 260-
7259. Facsimile Number: (202) 260-1827. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments

    Comments shall be submitted to WAVE ICR Comment Clerk, Mail Code 
4204, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater Management, 
401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Commenters who want EPA to 
acknowledge receipt of their comments should enclose a self-addressed 
stamped

[[Page 23070]]

envelope. Comments may also be submitted electronically to 
[email protected].
    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and forms of encryption. Electronic comments 
must be identified by the use of words ``WAVE ICR Comments.'' No 
confidential Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-
mail. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in Corel 
WordPerfect 8 format or ASCII file format. Electronic comments on this 
notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. The 
record for this proposed ICR renewal has been established in the Office 
of Wastewater Management, Municipal Assistance Branch and includes 
supporting documentation as well as printed, paper versions of 
electronic comments. It does not include any information claimed as 
CBI. The record is available for inspection from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays, at the Municipal Assistance 
Branch, Northeast Mall Room 2606-46, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20460. For access to the docket materials, please call (202) 260-5856 
to schedule an appointment.

Affected Entities

    Entities potentially affected by this action are commercial 
businesses, medical facilities, educational institutions, state and 
local governments, and multi-family housing units that voluntarily join 
EPA's WAVE Program. Major respondents are lodging establishments, 
office buildings, educational institutions, medical facilities, and 
state and local governments.

Title

    Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Water Alliances for Voluntary 
Efficiency (WAVE) Program (OMB Control No. 2040-0164; EPA ICR No. 
1654.02) expiring October 31, 1999.

Abstract

    EPA initially collects facility information and thereafter annually 
collects water, energy, and cost savings information from participants 
in the WAVE program. WAVE Partners are commercial businesses or 
institutions that voluntarily agree to implement cost-effective water 
efficiency measures in their facilities. Initially the WAVE Program 
targeted the lodging industry, but is expanding to include office 
buildings, educational institutions and medical facilities. Another 
type of participant, ``Supporters,'' will work with EPA to promote 
water efficiency. Supporters are equipment manufacturers, water 
management companies, utilities, state and local governments, or the 
like.
    The purpose of the WAVE Program is pollution prevention. As defined 
by EPA, pollution prevention means ``source reduction'' as defined 
under the Pollution Prevention Act, and other practices that reduce or 
eliminate the creation of pollutants through increased efficiency in 
the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources, or through 
protection of natural resources by conservation. By promoting water 
efficiency, WAVE prevents pollution in two basic ways. First, 
wastewater flows are reduced which can increase treatment efficiency at 
wastewater treatment plants resulting in reduced pollutant loads. 
Second, less water used means that less energy will be used to treat, 
transport, and heat drinking water and to transport and treat 
wastewater. To the extent that the reduced energy use so achieved is 
electrical energy, power plant emissions are reduced. Water efficiency 
also causes less water to be withdrawn and helps preserve streamflow to 
maintain a healthy aquatic environment; in addition, less pumping of 
groundwater lowers the chance that pollutants that may be in the 
groundwater will be drained into a water supply well.
    EPA uses the information to maintain a profile of program 
membership and to monitor the success of the program, demonstrate that 
pollution prevention can be accomplished with a non-regulatory 
approach, and to promote the program to potential partners. 
Participation in the WAVE Program is voluntary; however, a participant 
joins the program by signing and submitting a Membership Agreement and 
an annual Results Report to EPA to receive and retain program benefits, 
such as software and publicity. No participant is required to submit 
confidential business information. EPA maintains and distributes a list 
of program participants, and presents aggregated data only in its 
program progress reports. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 
person is not required to respond to, a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB 
control numbers for EPA's regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 
49 CFR Chapter 15.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

Burden Statement

    The annual public reporting and record keeping burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average three hours and three 
minutes per Membership Agreement response, and five hours and 54 
minutes per Results Report response. Approximately 870 facilities will 
be subject to this information collection for an estimated annual 
burden of 2,556 hours. The total estimated burden for this information 
collection activity, including the Agency, is 3,037 hours nationally; 
the estimated total annualized cost burden is $187,282. Burden means 
the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to 
generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or 
for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and 
systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any 
previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to 
be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; 
complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or 
otherwise disclose the information.

    Dated: April 23, 1999.
Michael B. Cook,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 99-10731 Filed 4-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P